Curtain fixture



I j wherein a; springro-ller employed wh ch.

Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

DANIEL norm, orniisr cannon} Nriw 'crnnsny, ASSIGNOR 'ro rim NATIONAL LOCK:

WASHER O MPAN QA CORPORATION or NEYV Innsnr;

' CURTAIN FIXTURE.-

' Application filed June '18,

vnew and useful Improvements inCurtain Fixtures, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to i make, construct, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to charactersof ref--' erence marked thereon, forming a part of this specification. i v

' This invention relates to curtain-fixtures constantly tends to wind the curtain up, and where-in the curtain fixture is located at the bottom of the curtain and operating in grooves on the window frame, and which is designed to hold the curtain at any height of its travel. The fixture is specially adapted for use in curtains-for car windows. -Oneof the objects of this invention is to make a practically self-righting curtain fiX- ture, which will-hold stronglyagainst upward movement and lightly against downward movement, containing but few component parts which can readily be assembled into, a curtain by inexperienced workmen. o 1 Another novel feature of my improved curtain fixture is the holding means, comprising an independently-acting cam, which will hold only when the fixture is in pract ically a horizontal position, and which'will hold against downward move1nent, and which will also hold much more strongly against upward movement but which will yield to excess, pressure to push the curtain:- up without releasing the cams.

I am well aware that curtain heretofore been used wherein a cam has been employed as the holdingmemberaas for instance, in my Patent No, 676,557, June 18th, 1901', in which device thecam will hold; when-the curtain fixture 1S inja tiltedrposr tion, and will hold so strongly against upward pressure that the fixture has often fixtures have -tirelyfsatisfactory.

Thetensionplaced on the spring roller by;

the workman hanging. the curtain has yeryg;

much to do with the operation of curtain fixtures,'that is to say, too strong aqtension will cause most curtain fixtures to: creepiup tension is placed on thespring roller, some curtain fixtures which have; no holding power aga nst gdownward tmovement, *will;

creep down from the top-of the window, due

from theibottom,and when but little or no;

to their own weight and the-jarring'ofitha Almost] any ofthe curtain firztures i are used oncar windows- 'todaywould be,

satisfactory if the spring rollers were prop: erly tens onedandif the fixtures wereproperly-a'ssembled and properlyoperated, butv many" workmen, jthrough carelessness or ignorance, do not put the proper tension on the roller,-jor they, do notassemble the fix-- .tures inthe 1 curtains and windows correctly,

land again, nianypassengers do not operate them properly.v i A The-primary objector this invention is to simplify the structure of a cam curtain fix t'ure, so as to render the same positiveyyet; efi'ective'in operation, simple and inexpern sivein construction, durable 111 use, one"- which; easily adjusted tovcar windows, capable of holdingin the lower ng direction; as well as holdingagainst strong, roller;

tension, and in which the holdingpower of the eams will yield to a strong force;

These objects I'perform in the'preferred: embodiment of my invention, which I. hav

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to which reference 1s-had,and in which simr- I lar reference characters indicate correspond ing partsin the several views,

i 7 While the preferred form of a is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, yetjit. 1s to be understood that minorchanges 1 tional view.

may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a front. elevation of a window, the casing being partly broken away, to-illustrate the application and use of my improved curtain fixture.

Figure 2 represents an enlarged detail sec- Figure 3 represents an enlarged fragmentary plan View; and

- Figure t represents an edge view of one ofthe fixture heads.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a window. F frame, 2 the groove formed therein, 3 an ordinary spr-ing-tensioned curtain roller, suspended from the roller brackets 'lwhich are secured tothe window frame-1. and] 5 indicates the curtain which is attachedto the roller 3, which is-constantly, tending'to wind U the curtain up;

I head 8, presently to be described.

metallicrod 9, one end of which-is firmly-sec'uredto the head 8 andthe other endl cxtends into the tube 7" to near the center where it is connected to a finger-piece 10.

The finger-piece 10 is providedwith'a shanl: 11, arrangedlongitudinally in the tube 7, saidshank 1.1 being of considerable length and provided with a screw-threaded apei ture extending the length thereof. The inner end of the rod 9*i's similarly threaded,

and'designed to have screw-threadedengagement with the shank 11 of the-finger-piece 10. The distance which the rod-9 is screwed into the shank 11- determines the maximum and minimum adjustment of the fixture head 8. The finger-piece proper is located outside of-the tube 7 andguide-plate 13 and'is czonnected with the shank 11 by a connecting member. The finger-pieces are designed to be used in operating thecurtain and fixture, the length of the slots 12 in theguideplate determiningthe maximum movement of the head 8.' Located-"onthe inside of the tube .7 is a thrust member 15, formed by forcing portions of the tube inward. On the rod 9 is placed a loose sleeve 14, the outer end of which bears directly against the head 8', said sleeve being adapted to move freely on the'rod 9 and also freely within the tube 7; Against the inner end of-the sleeve 14% and secured to the rod 9 is a washer 16, through which the rod 9 is freely slidablc. Against the'washer 16 'and on the rod 9 is located a spring 17, and against the spring 17 is another washer 16, of such a diameter that it cannot pass the thrust member 15 but through which the rod 9 can freely move.-

The washer 16 is forced along the'rod 9 compressing the spring 17; thereafter the rod 9 is flattened or winged as shown at 1.8 to hold the spring 17 partly con'ipressed.

It will be readily understood that when the rod 9 is screwed into the shank 11 of the finger-piece 10 that the washer. 16 will be hearing against the thrust member 15 thereby compressing the spring 17 which forces the loose sleeve 14 against the head 8 thereby pressing the head 8 outward from the tube 7. The lengthv of the fixture may be adjusted by screwing up or unscrewing the rod 9 into or out from the finger-piece shank 11. Y i

The heads 8 are made of metal, shapedpractically as shown, formed with two sides and a hollow chamber or channel-betweenthe sides. Each head has an anti-friction roller 23 pivoted in each end.

member 24. pivoted below the center. and dc signed to partially revolve on'the-piv-ot'25.

, Midway betweenthe anti-friction rollers 23 is located a cam One portion of the cam 24: is designed to bear on the bottom of the groove 25in the window frame. On the cam 24- and below the pivot 25 is formed a stop-26, designed to bear on the inner face ofjthe-head 8, which limits the outward movement offthe hearing I face of the cam 24-, and which bearingface should be slightly beyond the line of upper and lower anti-friction rollers At the upper end of the cam 24 is formed an armQ'i,

providing a bearing for the spring 28; pref 'erably made from ordinary roundspringwire andprovided with one or more'cojils which engage with the Stud 40 and which is located in the cam head'S and constantl tending to press the bearing face of thecain 2 1 outward.- 1

When the curtain 5 is equipped withthe spring-roller 3 and the curtain fixture 6, the workmen should first wind'the-proper tension on the roller, place the same in the brackets 1, raise oneend of the fixture, with the finger-pieces compressed, until'it will enter the grooves. If the fixture is too, long.

screw up one turn on each head, or if too the curtainwill be free to be moved either up or down. It will be understood that when the ourtain 5 is in the raised position, if there be;

little or no tension on the roller 3, the cam 24 bearing on ,the bottom of the grove 2 by the force of the spring 28 will not allow the curtain fixture 6 to creep downward, but the fixture can readily be pulled down by grasping the bottom ofthe curtain, for the reason that the spring 28 is light, and

will allow the cam to trail on a line with the anti-friction rollers which will be rolling on the bottom of the grooves. It will also be understood that when the curtain is in the lowered position, if a strong tension is placed on the roller 3, the fixture 6 will not creep up, as upward pull will cause the cams to open and hold the fixture against upward movement, but if extra force is applied to push the curtain up the springs 17 will yield and allow the fixture to be pushed up before the fixture is. broken or injured. The holding power of the cam in upward movement is only limited by the strength of the spring 17 which can be made as strong as desired. The holding power of the bearing faceof the cam, in the downward, movement is entirely gov-- erned by the strength of the spring 28, which can be made as weak as desired. The

strength of the spring 17 hasno effect on the cam in the downward movement. lt will also be seen that if the fixture 6 is tilted out of the horizontal position, that one of the anti-friction rollers 23 will bear ponent part. The finger pieces 10 are placed in the slots 12 of the guide plate 13,

"and the latter screwed to the tube 7, forming another component part.

Inassembling the fixture 6, all that is necessary is to insert the first component part into the second component part and screw the rod 9 into the shank 11 of the finger piece.

Experience has demonstrated that the Organization above described is a highly, eflicient one, and Wl'lll the device described.

is the preferred embodiment of my present invention, I do not care to restrict myself to the exact details of construction, combination and arrangement herein set forth, it being obvious that minor variations thereof,

not involving the exercise of invention, may I made by any skilled-mechanic, such departures from what is herein described] and claimed I. consider within thesco-pe and r,

terms of my. claims.

Having thus described my invention,

what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is 1; A window frame having grooves, a curtain 1n the frame mounted 011 a spring roller constantly tending to windithe curtain up, a curtain fixture at the bottom, of

the curtain comprising a tube, elongated heads with "shanks slidably mounted in) each end of the tube, anti-friction rollers i 5 at the ends of the heads, springs in the tube to force the heads outward: and the" anu-- friction 1 rollers ,in' engagement with the grooves, acam in each head, said cam'being, an arc of a wheel eccentrically pivoted 1n q each head, the circular'faceof each cam having a; decreasing radius as it rolls down-' ward and lnward and an lncreasing radlus as 1t rolls upward and outward, a spring in each head to force the circular face of the cam in strong traction contact withthe grooves and a stop on the cam below the,

circular face to limit the upward and out- -ward' movement of the cam, and 'finger-' pieces to withdraw the heads and cams free from engagement. with the bottom of the I grooves.

2, A curtain fixture headofthe character described, a cam in the head comprising an arc of a wheel eccentrically pivotedin the head whereby it has a decreasing radius when rolling downward and anincreasmg.

radius-when rolling upward, a spring" in I the head forcing the cam in tractionv contact with thewindow frame, andmeans tollimit p the rolling movement of the cam.

of the'tube, adapted to operate in grooves formed on a window frame, a cam pivoted in each head and havinga circular face, a

spring within the head. tending -to force the cam in rollingcontact with the bottom 10.0 3. curtain fiXtLlIflCOllSlStlIlg of a tube, a spring pressed head located at each end I,

of the grooves, the cam being so pivoted in i the head that the circular face has a decreasing radius on downward movement and an increasing radius on upwardlmovement,

andl means to fwithdraw the head and canr from said engagementp This specification signed and. witnessed this 28th day of May, 1917.

DANIEL ,Witnesses: v FREDK C. FisoHER,

C; A. ALLrs'roN. 

